White House Wants The Supreme Court To Rule On Obamacare — Fast

The Obama administration asked the Supreme Court today to hear a
case about Obamacare — an unexpected development that virtually
guarantees the court will rule on the much-maligned 2010 health
care reform law.

According to the NYT, the petition, filed by the Department
of Justice, asks the Supreme Court to hear its appeal of an 11th
Circuit Court ruling that overturned the individual mandate — the
cornerstone of Obama's healthcare reform.

The 11th Circuit's three-judge panel ruled last month that the
individual mandate — which requires people to purchase health
insurance — was unconstitutional. But the judges also ruled that
overturning the individual mandate did not invalidate the law
entirely, and upheld the law's expansion of Medicaid.

Two of the plaintiffs — 26 states and the National Federation of
Independent Business — have petitioned the Supreme Court to
review the second 11th Circuit Court's decision.

It is not clear which challenge(s) the Court will hear. But it is
almost certain that the court will agree to hear at least one of
the cases, with a decision expected by June 2012 — right in the
middle of the presidential election.